Sacred
adjective /ˈseɪkrɪd/ — Dedicated to something holy — and worthy of reverence beyond ordinary respect.
Definition
Connected with God or a god; regarded with great respect and reverence by a particular religion, group, or individual; dedicated or set apart for religious purposes.
Beyond the definition
Sacred is the word for things the world has agreed not to treat as ordinary — places, texts, relationships, times. The sacred is protected by the agreement that it is not subject to the same considerations as the merely useful. Breaking the sacred is a different category of wrong.
Origin & history
From Latin sacrare — to make holy (from sacer: holy). The made-holy — sacred as something that has been set apart. The verb's passive participle: the thing that was made sacred.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She treated certain relationships as sacred — not religiously, but with the same quality of protection.
The sacred and the secular are not opposites; they are different relationships to the same things.
What a culture treats as sacred tells you everything about what it values beyond utility.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Sacred” when the meaning fits your context: Connected with God or a god; regarded with great respect and reverence by a particular religion, group, or individual; dedicated or set apart for religious purposes.
Synonyms
holy, hallowed, consecrated, divine, venerated
Antonyms
profane, secular, mundane
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Entering an Ancient Forest
An adult stands at the entrance of an ancient, sunlit forest, holding a glowing talisman that illuminates their path.
The forest entrance and the glowing talisman represent a sacred threshold. The adult’s attitude of reverence and the light from the talisman signify that this space is set apart, demanding deep respect as a place of profound significance, distinct from the mundane world.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Sacred" mean?
Sacred is adjective meaning: Dedicated to something holy — and worthy of reverence beyond ordinary respect.. Connected with God or a god; regarded with great respect and reverence by a particular religion, group, or individual; dedicated or set apart for religious purposes.
Where does the word "Sacred" come from?
From Latin sacrare — to make holy (from sacer: holy). The made-holy — sacred as something that has been set apart. The verb's passive participle: the thing that was made sacred.